Lynn – Choices

So who guessed my lunch yesterday?!

No one! A few readers did think that I would eat the Builders Bar, but I never wound up having an apple.

I chose this bar quite honestly because it was the biggest one and I was in a chocolate mood. I ate it driving back from my audition with a caramel tootsie pop, planning on having a small apple later. But I wound up never needing it. By the time I felt a nibble of hunger it was already time for dinner! 20 grams of protein goes a long way, apparently.

We met our new friends Phil and Joanna for dinner in Culver City, at Tender Greens. You basically order, then stand in a long line watching the cooks make your food, and pay at the end. There were a lot of people, but it moved pretty quickly.

They’re known for their local and organic produce – I have had their salads a number of times but chose something more dinner-y, the flat-iron steak with a mashed potatoes, garlic toast, and butter lettuce side salad with a creamy tarragon dressing.

The mashed potatoes were insane – dense and creamy and perfectly seasoned. It wasn’t the best steak I’ve ever had, but for $10.50 and hormone-free, it was pretty darn good. Like their veggies, their meat is thoughtfully procured, they also offer free-range chicken and line-caught Pacific tuna.

I only had a bite of the bread (a bit too hard and bland for me) and gave Abe 1/3 of my potatoes. The rest was gobbled. I also had a bite of Abe’s grilled veggie sandwich, which was just meh.

We hung out talking for a while – Phil writes a very popular blog called “Angry Asian Man” that I’ve been reading for years so it was very cool to get to know him and his lovely wife.

Back at the house, right before bed, I had a hot cocoa, plus leftover Seder desserts – 1/2 an Christy’s chocolate chip cookies.

Plus a Riesen that I had stored in the freezer (they last longer that way, and taste like a frozen Charleston Chew, my favorite growing up).

This morning I had an audition so I ate in the car. So many readers guessed I would choose a Kind bar so I had that. I’m so suggestible!

The audition was back on my side of town, so I stopped by our house to make sure things were in order and pee, then drove back to the beach house. This all took about 3 hours total and I was starving upon return!

I made one of my favorite things in the world – PB and J on a waffle.

I used to ruin my appetite for dinner after school with these. When I was growing up we always had frozen Eggo waffles, and huge vats of Skippy’s PB and Smucker’s Jelly in the house because my mom got them wholesale from BJ’s. These are some much healthier and less processed options:

With a very sad side of frozen broccoli dressed with lemon juice, salt and pepper:

Hit. The. Spot. I had to take the dogs on their separate walks – I took Julius first. Basically I made the choice (a stupid one, looking back) to close the gate leading upstairs so Sundae could eat her breakfast without Julius running up to wolf it down when we returned. I dunno what I was thinking, quite frankly.

Apparently she thought this was a very bad decision too:

Not only did she chew the gate, she jumped over it! It’s a freaking high gate!!!

Well, after her turn at a 1/2 hour walk, both dogs are now passed out. I have to leave again for a meeting – hopefully there will be no more mischief when I return!

I love your healthified waffle sandwich idea 🙂 Makes you enjoy it more when you knew it’s good for you!

One time we kept one of our dogs in the bedroom with the door shut while we were gone because we knew a painter was coming by. When we came back, she had dug up all the wall to wall carpet by the door. Actually dug it up, I’m not kidding. I guess she knew how Julius felt :PP

Oh my gosh- Tender Greens looks like my kind of place. Your dinner sounds fantastic! But I think I love your waffle sandwich even better!!! Delicious, Lynn. I love how you have a nighttime sweet ritual- mug of cocoa and a few small treats. It’s just my style!

I allllmost tried one of those Builder Bars the other day until I realized the deli I was at wanted to charge $2.75 for it. But it’s good to know they do the trick. Perhaps when I see them for a more reasonable price I’ll give it a try!

Looking at food blogs while hungry is a BAD idea. I don’t even eat steak and I’m dying over it.
Regarding the comment you left on my blog about not letting sweets have power over me…. They totally do and I don’t know how to change that.